Hidden
by Ellixer
Summary: Short story. Max has left Logan and friends behind to go into hiding. Final chapter!!!!
1. Default Chapter

Show belongs to Fox and Cameron, story is mine. I'm trying something different here. Just a story really. I hope you like. I was listening to crouching tiger hidden dragon soundtrack. Enjoy.  
  
  
"This is something you can't change. No matter how hard you try, this is what it is. Get on with your life. I'm not coming back. Bye."  
  
Rain poured as if God was crying, in sheets that never relented. Maybe he was. Who's to know. She walked the streets, a hood covered her head, and shrouded her face in shadows. Her boots splashed through the mud puddles. Her hands stuck inside her coat pockets. Every vein seemed frozen, maybe from the cold, maybe from something else entirely. Life's a bitch. Especially to her, it seemed that whenever something was going right, someone came along and ripped every last root of hope inside of her out. The gloom hung in the air like fog, and it stuck to everything. Sucking the life out of anyone who passed through it's grasp. In hiding once more. Her friends far away. Now she is alone again. No one. No one. Moving from place to place, shack to shack, hole to hole. Many days going without food. Stealing once more. The life she once knew, back for a visit. Like a relative who comes for a few days but stays a few years. The tragic warrior. Hehe. The fallen hero. The dove with a broken wing. Her life is a metaphor for everything gone wrong.  
  
  
"Keep on the path of the heart and the rest will follow." What??! She stopped. A little old man had appeared next her.  
"What did you say?"  
"Your heart is torn. Follow what your heart desires."  
"Ok, whatever." She turned and started to walk away.  
"No my child don't run from your problems." She stopped and turned around angrily.  
"I'm not running .........." He was not there. She walked back to the spot where he had stood. There was an open door to a little shop. She walked in to the dimly lit place. Shelves with herbs lined the walls, and tables and shelves cluttered the floor.  
"Come and eat some soup." She whipped around. He stood behind her, an aged looked upon his face.  
"Wait..." He did not let her finish, but instead ushered her through the shop to the back.  
"Sit and take off that coat." He walked away. She was a little surprised, but did what he said. Free food is a hard thing to find. He's probably just a lonely old man. The man walked back out. He was carrying soup and noodles.  
"Eat and I will tell you a story."   
"Whats the catch?"  
"Catch? There is no catch. Just listen to my story. Listen not only with your ears, but with your heart, your soul." He sat down in a chair. She began to eat the soup and noodles. She didn't realize how hungry she was.  
  
  
"Many years ago. Long before the chaos, when there was order. Before the technology that plagued the earth. When people knew only the land, the sky, and the sea. My people. They grew up in poverty. They were ruled by tradition, and pride. That is where my story begins."  
  
  
The snow drifted down to the cold hard earth. Her breath hung in the morning air as she trudged through. Her mother told her that today was going to be special. They would be choosing her husband. She did not like the idea, but accepted it. It is the way things are. The well isn't much further. She noticed a carriage at a house to her left, and she stopped. Two men got out. They must be very rich to have a carriage, but why would they be here? An old woman came out of the house. She knew the woman and walked over. She was introduced to the womans son and grandson from the city. They wanted her to move to the city with them, but the old woman wanted to die in her own home. That is the way of many old people. But you must respect their wishes. While the son went inside to talk to his mother, the grandson stayed outside.  
"Hello." He said. She bowed slightly and smiled.  
"Hello."  
"My grandmother is very stubborn."  
"It is her right to die where she was born." He laughed.  
"That is not what my father thinks. He will stay until he can change her mind."  
"Do you agree with him?"  
"It is not my place to agree or disagree. But I believe she has a right. She has lived longer than we have." He looked at her with smiling eyes. For a split second every thing slowed.  
  
  
"I see you are hungry. I will get you more." The old man got up and walked out of the room. He came back with even more food than before. Her eyes widened when she saw all the food. "Now where was I? Ahh yes. They met that one day, but their souls had met before they were born. They saw each other everyday. They would walk together and he would tell her all of the wonderful things in the city. But many people didn't like what they were doing."  
  
  
"I don't want you to see him again. You are not worthy for such a man. And you are to marry another."  
"But mama, we just talk."  
"I don't care. Stay away from him." Her mother walked away. She sat down and cried. She had grown to love him, even though all they had ever done was talk. He had never even touched her, not even her hand. But there was nothing she could do. She laid down that night but could not sleep. His face, and his voice consumed her every thought. How could she love a man that she had only shared a few conversations with? She did not even know if he felt the same. But she felt it when they would walk. He came to her that night, in the darkness.  
  
"My love for you goes beyond time. Though it is forbidden. You must see that those who disapprove are only ripples in the pond. Tell me you love me, so that I know I do not plead in vain."  
"You know that I love you."  
"Then let me hold your delicate hand."  
"But it is forbidden."  
"Then why have we come this far?" She looked away. How could she say no, to a man that she loves. To love him alone is to go against society. But what is a world without love? He had looked away. He did not want to her to see him shed a tear. She reached up and touched his cheek. She had given him her answer. "You don't know how much your love means to me." He touched her face. "We are going against society, and our parents. This cannot be wrong, if it is tell me now. For if we are found out, we will be outcasts."  
"Then we shall be outcasts together." Their faces were so close they could feel the others hot breath. Their lips grazed each other first, unsure. Their faces came closer. Finally their lips touched each others softly. They committed themselves to each other. And at that moment became outcasts, but that was not going to stop them.  
They were going to go off and live their lives together. Even though that meant leaving their families behind. They had no money, or place to go. But together they stole into the night. Not caring about what the future held, as long as they were together. Out into the snow covered countryside to look for whatever shelter they could find far away. This meant walking many many miles. She tried very hard to go as far as she could. But into the middle of the afternoon the next day, they both were exhausted.  
"I cannot go any further." She stumbled around. He tried to help her walk, but he too could go no further.  
"We must, there is no where to rest."  
"We will rest here then."  
"I guess there is no choice, there are no homes for miles. We need to make a fire." He limped to and fro looking for wood that was dry.  
"What is wrong?" She asked noticing his limping.  
"Nothing, I am fine. I stepped into a hole." They finally built a meager fire. Then under a tree, they leaned together under a blanket trying to share body heat.  
"We cannot stay long, or our blood will freeze." The snow got progressively worse.  
"How can I freeze when I am with you." He kissed her softly on the cheek. And as the snow fell so did their eyelids. Until both were asleep. When she woke again the falling snow had become very thick.  
"We must move." He mumbled.  
"We must get up now." She finally managed to get up and pulled him to his feet. The little fire they had built had gone out long ago. The two of them stumbled into the storm, hoping to make it to shelter. But hope doesn't get you very far. They stumbled into each other and collapsed to the ground. She struggled to get up. And tried to get him up, but he did not move.   
"You have to get up." She pushed him, and he did not move. "Please!" She begged, but he did not move. She tried to pull him, but she had barely enough strength herself to move. She collapsed to the ground. "Come on, get up!" She crawled to him and looked into his eyes.  
"You have to get up. Please." She began to cry. "You're going to die if you don't move. Please, I can't lose you." He smiled up at her, and touched her cheek. She grabbed his hand and held it there.  
"I will never leave you. I will always be in your heart. I will always be by your side. When it's your time you will see me again. We will walk together and it will be like it is now. Forever."  
"But you have to get up." She cried.  
"I love you."  
"Please don't leave me!" Her begging was not answered. His hand became limp. His eyes did not glow. "No!" She sobbed and put her head on his chest. She sat there a moment, then tried to stop crying, and looked at his face. She gently kissed his lips. Then getting up she stumbled into the snow. Walking for a few miles before collapsing to the ground.  
  
  
"Now a farmer came along and found both. She did live. She remembered what he told her. Even though the path she took was hard, it was the right one. Because even though she could not be with him in life, she could be with him in death. If she had not followed her heart, then she would be with him in neither worlds. Do you understand?"  
"Yeah." The story was sad, but what did it have to do with her?  
"Come, it is getting late, you must go now." He got up and started walking out. She followed, but not before grabbing some leftover food and stuffing it in her pockets.  
"Hey ah thanks for the food, and the story, it was good. Was it true?"  
"Yes." He walked her to the door. The rain had stopped.  
"Thanks again." He nodded, and she began to walk away.  
"You must go to Logan and tell him you love him." She stopped and turned around, but the old man was gone. The door closed. How did he know Logans name? And how can she possibly go to him, it's too dangerous? She was confused. Maybe that story did have some meaning to it. Maybe she should listen to the old man. It started to rain again. She jumped onto the back of a truck passing by. Maybe it's time to stop hiding?  
  
  
Well, this of course is ony the beginning. I hope it's good. Please tell me what you think. 


	2. Decision

Running away, by Hoobastank  
  
Logan touched her face. "I love you." He kissed her, and laid her gently upon the ground. She kissed him passionately. Her hands pulling his face towards hers. Then she woke up. The cold ground made her shiver. A deep sigh escaped her lips. Time to get up. Another day to hide. Like a cockroach scurrying away from the light. She never imagined she would have to go to this extreme ever since she had settled down with her job at Jam Pony, her friends, her Logan. Hehe, her Logan. What the heck is she thinking. This food problem is finally getting to her head. She was so used to eating more than once a day. So used to having something she could grasp and hold on to, and call a life. Well, better get up now, or she'll never get up. She wrapped her coat tighter around her. It would have been smart if she had gotten herself a safehouse to hold up in. But.....other things plagued her mind at the time.  
  
  
It's been weeks. He sat and stared out the window. Thinking about what she had said. The words she spoke. He didn't understand, and it tore him up inside. Maybe he didn't show her enough how much he needed her.  
  
I don't want you to give it all up  
And leave your own life collecting dust  
And I don't want you to feel sorry for me  
You never gave us a chance to be  
And I don't need you to be by my side  
To tell me that everything's all right  
I just wanted you to tell me the truth  
You know I'd do that for you  
Why are you running away?  
Why are you running away?  
Cause I did enough to show you that I  
Was willing to give and sacrifice  
And I was the one who was lifting you up  
When you thought your life had had enough  
And when I get close, you turn away  
There's nothing that I can do or say  
So now I need you to tell me the truth  
You know I'd do that for you  
So why are you running away?  
Why are you running away?  
Is it me, is it you  
Nothing that I can do  
To make you change your mind  
Is it me, is it you  
Nothing that I can do  
Is it a waste of time?  
Is it me, is it you  
Nothing that I can do  
To make you change your mind  
So why are you running away?  
Why are you running away?  
...What is it I've got to say...  
So why are you running away?  
...To make you admit you're afraid...  
Why are you running away?  
  
She had always fought for her freedom, now she is running. I know it's hard, it may be a bad idea to stay here, but I would always go where she needed me. I would be there too. I have got to find her, but I have no where to look. So what do I do now?  
  
What do I do now? Where am I supposed to go? That is a question I should have answered before leaving. Something I would normally have done. But all I thought about was Logan. His fine self. Why did I fall in love. I wasn't engineered that way. I was supposed to be an unfeeling warrior, the best that science can offer. Now look at me. Do I follow my heart or my brain, or my training? Shit, forget training. I'm not in Manticore, I'm not a soldier anymore. A soldier wouldn't run. Well, there's only one thing I can do.   
  
  
"You really need to install an security system."  
"Max?" Logan looked up at her in alarm. "Is it you?"  
"No, it's Santa Claus." She grinned.  
"I thought you left."  
"I did."  
"Why did you come back?"  
"For you. I followed my heart, and it lead me here. I don't want to run anymore." Logan ran up to her. "You might want to stop. I haven't had a shower in weeks." He stopped.  
"Why don't I help you."  
  
  
  
El fin. This is the end of my little short story. Hope it's embraced by all. 


End file.
